These are the few photos of Loxton Street School that I have, I have possibly posted one of these before, but I'm sure you won't mind. I will look and see what photos of Great Francis Street that I have. From what you say I gather you lived at the bottom end of the street, where they built the Melvina Rd flats in the late 50's and changed the name of Great Francis St to Little Hall Rd.

Photos of your end of Great Francis Street are hard to come by, but I have a few. The first three are from Carl Chinn's excellent collection "Birmingham Lives". The first one shows number 88 Great Francis St which must have been somewhere close to where you lived. The second shows Claverdon Terrace that was at the rear of it.The third and fourth photos show two of the pubs that were in your local area. The Train that was more or less opposite Duddeston Mill Rd and The Railway which was on the corner of Claverdon Rd.

Thanks Phil, What mind blowing pictures, mind you in my minds eye my school was never that big,I have been back since but it wasn't there, am I right? has it been demolished? when I was naughty my Mom would say " if you don't stop that "I'll have you put in Gem Street" was there a mental home in that street do you know?Denzil.

An Asylum for deserted and orphaned children offering full board up to the age of 14 years.

It was many years later that it was used for children with learning difficulties and I also think it was used for other purposes over the years. In the early years it had very close connections with the church and the workhouse. I think that in the 1930's new buildings were constructed and it all became one school under the heading of Bishop Ryder C of E Primary School. It was many years after this that it was used for the purpose stated previously. I suppose it was demolished in the 70's along with everything else around there.